Malicious
by Terayne
Summary: When Draco Malfoy learns that Ginny Weasley has feelings for him, he thinks of a brilliant plot that is sure to change her feelings. But what can he do when it backfires? Chap 3 is up, Ron does something totally unexpected, and D/G talk!
1. Overheard conversations, cruel plans, an...

Malicious 

Lady Terayne

Disclaimer: all the wonderful HP stuff belongs to JKR, only the plot is mine.

Ginny Weasley ran to sit under the tree next to Draco Malfoy, her boyfriend of who-knows-how long. He took her hand in his, and they sat under the tree, a perfect picture of bliss.  He put his arms around her, and she realized that the times she spent by his side were the best times of her life. Forget Harry…Harry who? He could just jump off a cliff for all she cared…she was so happy with Draco. How could life ever have been different? Then, she started to notice an odd ringing sound that was growing louder and louder…

            The next thing she knew, she was in her bed, the alarm buzzing in her ears.

            "DAMN YOU!!" Ginny yelled at the alarm and threw it across the room. She loved having that dream, but it always had to wake her up just at that point. Grumpily, she got up, and went to go take a shower. Some of her dorm mates looked at her strangely, but she ignored it. 

            Once she was dressed, Ginny walked down to the common room with a book in hand, although she had no intention of reading it. She was deep in thought, wondering what to do about her crush on Draco. No one knew about it, not even her best friends, Toni and Hermione. She was also quite certain that he did not even have any positive feelings about her, but she didn't care. It was like Harry had been when she *liked* him, except Harry was like a brother. She didn't even know quite what it was that attracted her to him…the aloofness? His cold personality and lack of empathy? His looks, even? She knew there had to be something under the cold exterior…but she seriously doubted that it would be her to bring it out. First, he would have to see past her Weasley-red hair and into the fact that she was actually and individual, and she'd need to gain some serious courage. Ginny wondered not for the first time if the Sorting Hat had made a mistake putting her into Gryffindor…sometimes she was such a Hufflepuff. But then, at other times, she could be very outgoing…that was usually only in the company of her friends, though. 

            Suddenly, Toni came down the stairs from the fifth year girls dormitories, interrupting her thoughts. 

            "I'm hungry," Toni declared. Toni was a sixth-year, like Ginny.

            "Well, I'm not really, but I'll come with you," Ginny said, unconsciously agreeing, still lost in her world of thought. Toni shrugged, and they left the Gryffindor common room for the main hall. 

            Ron, Harry, and Hermione were already down in the Great Hall eating breakfast. Ginny sat down next to Hermione with Toni on her other side, and she quickly noticed that Draco was also eating right then. It looked like he was giving some Hufflepuff a hard time, and Ginny couldn't help thinking that he looked so cute when he was enjoying himself. Then, realizing what she was thinking, Ginny's face flushed with anger and she glared at the dirty rat. He, of course, didn't notice her, but Hermione did.

            Breakfast passed all too quickly for Ginny, and she went to go get ready for Defense Against the Dark Arts, her first class, taught by Professor Lupin again that year. As she was walking out, Hermione grabbed her arm and pulled her into an empty classroom.

            "Did I just see you staring at MALFOY the whole time we were in there?!!" Hermione yelled at Ginny.

            "No! Of course not! I was _glaring_ at him. There is a difference…I want revenge for…uh…something," Ginny said nervously. 

            Hermione rolled her eyes, seeing right through the flimsy excuse. "And just what did he do to you to make you want this revenge?"

            "Umm…err…he wasn't being nice!" Ginny replied meekly.

            "And just when _is_ he being nice? I think you've got a serious affliction here. However, Malfoy is a major prat, as I'm sure you well know, so just…don't get hurt, okay? I'll stop worrying about you now, I know you can handle yourself," Hermione said, then thought to herself, _Not that he'll ever have the chance to hurt her, what with Ron the Overprotective standing over her._

            "Herm, I agree. You really _do_ need to butt out of my love life. Now, about yours…just when are you and my brother planning on getting together? Honestly, you two are SO obvious!" Ginny said, grinning. She had successfully changed the subject.

            "Hey! No fair! Who ever—" Just then, they heard the shuffling of feet as a heavy someone ran away from the unused classroom.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

            Meanwhile, thick-headed Goyle was running to find Draco. Goyle wasn't the cleverest of boys, but he certainly could tell that he had struck gold when he overheard that conversation. He found Draco, as expected, in the Potions classroom, sucking up to Snape.

            "Draco! You have to hear what I just heard!" Goyle sputtered dumbly to Draco. 

            Draco, angry at being interrupted from "raising his Potions grade," drawled to Goyle, "I'll _have_ to get back to you on that. Now, Professor Snape, where were we?" 

            Goyle went off to tell the other Slytherins of his new discovery.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

            Ginny and Hermione were continuing their conversation from a few hours earlier in the Gryffindor Common Room when Toni walked in. 

            "So, what're you two talking about that's so secretive? Do tell!" she asked.

            Hermione grinned evilly. "Our dear friend Ginny here seems to have this odd infatuation with everybody's favorite Slyth—" She was cut off abruptly when Ginny tackled her and covered up her mouth.

            "Quiet, you!" Ginny said to Hermione, who was laughing very hard despite the hand covering her mouth. 

            "Come on, you never tell me anything! What's this I hear, Herm?"  With that, Toni pulled a struggling Ginny away from Hermione so that she could continue.

            "As I was saying, darling Ginny likes everybody's favorite Slytherin: Draco Malfoy!"

            "Hermione, you are going to die for this! It's so not fair! You have that to torment me with, but everyone already knows that you like Ron, so I have nothing to blackmail you with!" Ginny protested.

            "Ginny! Shut up! I don't want the whole world to know!"

            "Yes, and I just LOVE the fact that you're broadcasting to all these curious Gryffindors the fact that I like that certain person!" Ginny sarcastically replied to Hermione.

            Toni looked around the room, and she noticed that people had started giving them odd looks at that last remark. "You two should probably shut up now. You may not have been overheard before, but I think you've attracted some attention…" she whispered. 

            At that moment, the portrait hole swung open and Harry and Ron walked in, ending that conversation. Hermione and Toni quickly opened their books and pretended to have been working the whole time, and Ginny walked up to the dorm to think.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Chapter 2

            On the other side of the school, Draco was gaining some very useful information. Goyle was telling him about what he had overheard.

            "Yeah, Draco, no joke. The little Weasel really must looooove you! She all but came out and said it! Man, you should have seen Granger's face! Priceless!" At that, Draco glared at Goyle, who just kept rambling on, "I thought you might want to know, you know, so how about a reward? A chocolate frog? M-maybe two?"

            Draco pulled out a few Every Flavor Beans and gave them to an elated Goyle.

            Crabbe couldn't stay out of the action, and came up to see if he could have some too. "Please, Draco? Goyle told me about it too, I knew!"

            He rolled his eyes, and Crabbe got a few of the Beans. 

            All of a sudden, Goyle choked and spit out the bean. "Ugh! Sea Slug flavored!" he said, and promptly went to go wash out his mouth.

            Crabbe laughed and popped one in his large orifice. He also spit it out, yelling, "Urgh! Toilet Water!" He also went to get some water.

            Draco sneered happily. He loved his "Bernie Botts Nasty Flavored Beans."

            But, his mind soon wandered from that topic to what he should do about Weasley. He knew he wanted to torture her, but wasn't sure what approach to take. He had a few options: Outright torture her, name-calling, that type of thing; he could ignore her, like he did now; or he could pretend to be in love with her. He grinned at the thought of seeing her face when he told her it was all a joke. That was definitely the thing to do. 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

            Ginny was on her bed, feeling depressed. The morning classes were over, and she had some free time. Harry had never noticed her, so why would Draco? He was much more distant, and probably didn't even know there was such a person as Ginny Weasley. She heard a rumbling, and realized that maybe she should have eaten something that morning. Ginny went off to go filch a snack from the house elves before her least favorite class, Potions. Maybe Draco would be down there…

~*~*~*~*~*~*~  

Ginny seemed to be in luck. Draco was down in the kitchens too, getting something to eat before class. He didn't notice her immediately, but then, she didn't expect him to notice her at all. She was totally oblivious to his plan. However, he did notice her. 

            "Hello, Weasley," he drawled, although his usual smirk was not in place. 

            Ginny was stunned. "Um, yeah. Hello Malfoy," was all she could say before he sauntered off.

            Draco sneered his happy sneer. It was a start, even if it was a slow one. He could feel her eyes trailing him as he left the hall. 

~*~*~*~*~*~ 

            All the way to Potions, and all through the class, Ginny was wondering what Draco was up to, and why he had suddenly acknowledged her presence. It was so un-Malfoy-like, especially to not sneer at her and insult her and the other Gryffindors. She was still perplexed when she bumped into someone in the hall as she was on her way back to the common room.  

            "Watch where you're going," said a pug-faced girl in an unkind tone of voice.

            "Get out of my way," Ginny said in a totally nonplussed voice to Pansy Parkinson.

            Apparently, Pansy was in a mood to pick a fight. "Excuse me? I'm the one that has to go change my clothes because a Weasley touched them! Who knows what kind of lice could be hiding all over you?"

            "Oh, and I suppose that means that you think you're clean? I'm afraid you'll never get the crap off your face from all the brown-nosing and sucking up you do!" Ginny glared at the Slytherin girl. She'd never had anything against Pansy in the past, but if Pansy wanted to change that opinion, so be it.

            "I'm sorry, but I'm much too good to speak to Mudblood-loving scum like you. Come along, Millicent, we have better things to do than converse with this lowly creature." With that, pansy walked off, pug nose pointed high in the air.

            Ginny was feeling especially furious and knew just the curse the get a little bit of revenge on Pansy. Soon, Pansy's sense of smell was considerably worse, and Ginny had also magically mixed fresh cat manure, compliments of Crookshanks, into Pansy's hair.

~*~*~*~*~*~

            Draco wanted to do something more to ensure that his "joke" was going as planned. He must have been looking too happy, because Pansy came over to ask why he was. 

            "Drakie, hon, what's wrong with you? You look way too happy! It doesn't suit your face. Wait, maybe if I get you the right make-up, we could make it work…" she said. 

            "Erm, well, you see, I have sort of a plan going…." He trailed off. He didn't really want to let Pansy in on the plan, she would just mess it up.

            "You can tell me, come on, you know you can trust me! Does it involve the Gryffindors? Little red-haired female Gryffindors? Oooh, can I help? I love this stuff!" 

            "Pansy, you assume too much. Wait and see. And what _is _that in your hair? When was the last time you bathed? You absolutely reek of manure! Get away from me!"

            "But Draco, I don't want to wait! I want to know _now_! And I do not smell!" she screeched. Draco was disgusted. Did all girls act as selfishly and bratty as this one, and have as bad hygiene? The Weasley girl had smelled nice when he had seen her in the kitchens…just what did Pansy have against her? Did she suspect his plans? He hoped not. At that moment, Pansy decided to start crying. It never failed to work for her, and she seemed to forget that she was a sixth-year student and how immature this would look. She was so involved in her crying that she didn't notice when Draco left for the solitude and fresh air of anywhere else on the school grounds. He even decided that Arithmancy would be a safer and more interesting place to be, and left, not caring that he would be early to class.


	2. A Hogsmeade weekend, and Ginny gets mond...

Malicious ~ Chapters 3 and 4

            "Attention students! On October fourth, tomorrow, Hogwarts will be having its first Hogsmeade weekend of the school year. All students in the third year and above who have permission may go. That is all," Professor McGonagall announced to the Great Hall the next morning, which was a Friday.

            "Harry, Ron, Hermione, may I go with you guys to Hogsmeade tomorrow?" Ginny asked.

            Harry shrugged, he didn't care; Hermione was about to let her come when Ron stopped her and told Ginny coldly, "Why do you always ask to come with us? You never have any fun! And when you're with us, neither do we! Have your little friend Toni or whomever she is go with you. We certainly don't want you."

            Both Ginny and Hermione were stunned. Harry was off in his own little world, no doubt staring at the new Ravenclaw Seeker, Erin Brandwin. 

            Hermione was the first one to gather her wits. "Ron! How could you say that! She's your little sister!"

            "Yes, and exactly why I am sick of her tagging along! The girl needs to get a life and some friends!" Ron snarled. 

            Ginny stood up, mustering all her strength, and beat the crap out of her former favorite older brother. Now it was his turn to be speechless, and Hermione stood up to verbally defend her friend, who obviously needed no help physically.

            "Ron Weasley, if you think I am going to go to Hogsmeade with you after what you just did, you are terribly mistaken! Come on Ginny, we have better things to do than endure the presence of this ass!" Hermione had a hard time pulling Ginny off of Ron, who couldn't bring himself to hit his little sister although he could so easily verbally torment her. Ginny and Hermione stormed off to the Gryffindor Common Room, and shortly after Ron went up to the hospital wing.

            Ten minutes later, when Erin and her Ravenclaw friends left, Harry got up, wondering where everyone had gone.

            On the other side of the room, Draco Malfoy smiled, ended his sound magnification charm, and quietly exited the Great Hall.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

            Later, after Transfiguration, Ginny caught up to Toni. "Are you going to Hogsmeade tomorrow?" she asked.

            "No, I can't, my parents restricted me for the first month. Remember those Cockroach Clusters and Acid Lollypops I gave to my brother this summer? I'm still grounded. You know, sometimes I hate coming from a Muggle family…just can't play any tricks on them!" she laughed. "Sorry, maybe later this year, though."

            Ginny sighed. "Yeah, later. I really need to buy some ink and parchment, though. Maybe Hermione will come with me."

            "Err, wouldn't she be going with Ron and Harry?"

            So, Ginny explained the happenings of the morning to Toni.

            "Man, of all the days for me to oversleep! I wish I could have been there! I hope you punched him good and hard to make up for my absence. I would have been hitting right alongside you! Did he really call me 'your little friend Toni or whoever'?" Toni looked very angry.

            Ginny nodded. "His exact words."

            "I'm going to go find him right now and tackle him, and I don't care what Dumbledore does to me. Say, why didn't he stop you this morning?"

            "I have no idea. He was there, though. Of that I'm sure," Ginny shrugged, then added, "Don't waste your time on my arse of a brother. Dumbledore might not be blind again."

            Both girls then walked their separate ways, Toni to the Great Hall for lunch, and Ginny to go find Hermione.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

            Hermione was in the Gryffindor Common Room, reading a book entitled One Thousand Ways to Kill the Boy of Your Dreams. (A/N: I've always pictured Hermione and Ron together.) 

            She looked up from her book, "Hey, Ginny, how are you?"

            "I'm fine, but I was wondering if you were going to Hogsmeade tomorrow…" she trailed off.

            "I was, but after this morning, I just don't want to. There's also the fact that Snape gave us a _huge_ essay to write, plus we have an exam in Potions on Monday. The man is evil. So, I'll stay here."

            "Okay, Herm. I'm going to go eat some lunch." Ginny left, and Hermione was soon engrossed in her book again.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Chapter 4

            Ginny woke up the next morning, Saturday, still unsure whether or not to go to Hogsmeade or not. She finally decided to just go; she needed those supplies and while she was there she could pick up a dungbomb or two…they would look very nice exploded all over Ron. She got dressed and walked down to the Great Hall. While waiting for all the other students to come down who were going on the trip, Ginny wrote a list of other "gifts" she could buy for Ron. By the time everyone was assembled, she doubted that her family had enough money to pay for all of it.

            They piled into the carriages, and Ginny soon found herself standing in front of The Three Broomsticks with the other Hogwarts fifth years.

            She first bought the parchment and ink she needed, and then went to The Three Broomsticks for a butterbeer. The pub was surprisingly crowded; Ginny had no idea that so many people had come just from Hogwarts that day. There were no available tables for Ginny to spread out her work at, and in fact, there were only three available seats left in the whole bar. One was almost impossible to get to, it was in the far corner and there were many tables blocking her way to it. Another was next to Ron, instantly crossed out. The last one was next to a small group of Slytherin sixth years at the counter. She quickly walked over to the group of Slytherins and found herself seated next to Draco Malfoy.

            Ginny considered leaving the whole building before any more bad luck could fall upon her, but she was too late. Malfoy turned to her, a sneer on his face.

            "What have we here? The youngest Weasel, come to grace our presences?" Pansy, sitting next to him, snickered, and Ginny could feel her face beginning to burn as she opened a random book that she had brought. _What have I ever done to him?_ She wondered, trying and failing to ignore his many taunts. _Oh, now I know. It must be that I was born. Not my fault he was born rich and good-looking, and I…well…wasn't._ She left without even ordering.

            As she walked away, she could hear Malfoy say to Pansy, "I'll be right back." Pansy snickered again, hoping he'd do something really evil to Ginny.

*~*~*~*~*

            Once outside, Ginny headed for a bench and tried to look as inconspicuous as possible. Part of her wanted Malfoy to follow her out, and part wanted him to just mind his own business. The first part of her must have won, because she soon heard a drawling voice behind her. 

            "Hello again, Ginny."

            _He used my first name? He used my first name. He used my first name!!_ Her happiness soon turned to confusion. "What do you want, Malfoy?"

            "I do have a reputation to keep up, you know."

            "Um…_so_?" she asked nervously. 

            Draco was also nervous, but he was a lot better at hiding it. He'd never even been civil to a Weasley before, how could he be nice? _This might be harder than I'd originally imagined_, he thought to himself.

            "Well, I couldn't exactly be nice to you in there, in front of my friends!" Wrong thing to say…

            "Okay, _Draco_," and she put emphasis on his name, "Two questions: What the bloody hell is your point, and why can't you be nice in front of your friends?"

            "I've already told you. I have a reputation to maintain. It does not include kindness." He seemed to consider saying something else, but that was all that came out of his mouth.

            "I had two questions. That is the answer to one of them." Ginny was getting a little bit annoyed.

            "The point of my talking to you? The point is that you are not all that bad looking." He'd had a whole skit going in his mind of what he would say and how she would react, but that certainly wasn't it. Where had 'you are not all that bad looking' come from? Of course she was bad looking! She was a Weasley! However, deep in his subconscious, he knew that she had matured far from the insecure little first year she had been.

            Ginny's mouth was practically hanging open. Draco took this as his cue to lazily saunter back inside to his "friends."

            He said over his shoulder, "Close your mouth, Ginny. Don't make me do it for you."

            Stunned again, she did as she was told, then sat down to try and concentrate on her schoolwork.

~*~*~*~*~

            _Don't make me do it for you?! What was I thinking? I would NEVER kiss a Weasley! Even the thought of touching one repulses me! But, hell, I got myself into this…Damn Goyle and his sometimes good hearing! And I just had to choose to befriend her! Oh yes, now I remember, I also get to fool her. Just have to keep telling myself that…_Draco thought half-heartedly as he sat back down next to Pansy.

~*~*~*~*~

            Ginny thought about her predicament as she climbed up to the Gryffindor Tower. As a whole, the afternoon had been positive. Had Draco Malfoy insinuated that he would kiss her? Or that he would hit her? Yes, it had been a good day, but also a very confusing one. While she was relatively happy, she could tell no one. She _would _tell Toni and Hermione, but it was something she just wanted to keep for herself, and she wasn't sure how they would react. 

            Ron? Harry? Definitely not. Ron, she was still incredibly pissed at, and Harry…Harry was another brother, as well as her brother's best friend. _That about sums up my friends list! Pitiful!_ She thought, and had no diary to write in. Ginny had never touched anything halfway resembling a diary after her first year at Hogwarts.

            So, she would just have to keep this to herself. It would probably just be forgotten, anyway.

A/N: yay! Second chapter-thingie is out! In the next chapter: I have no idea! Anyway, I'll just use right now as a brainstorming moment…let's see…hmm. Ok, I'll start over: next chapter: stuff happens. There we go! It's not written yet, I have no idea who's gonna die or fall madly in love or all that lovely soap opera stuffs. If you have questions, comments…put 'em in your review! I'd appreciate it greatly! 

Merci beaucoup! Lady Terayne


	3. Ron is forgiven...for a price

Malicious

Lady Terayne

A/N: Finally, I've got a new chapter out! I'm discarding the two-chapters-in one fic thing, so this will just be chapter 3 instead of 5. In this post, we shall see: some R/H, a double date planned, and a mondolly pissed Draco. Fun fun!

Dedicated to Lady of the Wolves, who was kind enough to review after I only asked her once.

Disclaimer: What a pointless waste of paper. It's not mine, and Toni belongs to herself.

Chapter Three: Ron is forgiven…for a price (for lack of a better title)

Ron was sitting by himself in the Common Room, again wishing that he had just let Ginny come along to Hogsmeade instead of making a fool out of himself, making Ginny mad, and making Hermione mad. He was glad that Ginny was no longer glaring at him whenever he entered a room; instead, he just got ignored. Good enough for him, for the time being anyway…eventually, he knew that they would make up. Brothers and sisters always fight, and they usually always make up, didn't they? He hoped so.

He looked up just in time to see Ginny entering the portrait hole. She was still giving him the cold shoulder, and it was driving him insane.

"Ginny! Wait a second!"

She turned and looked at him icily. "Who says I have time for you?" she said, but came over to him anyway.

            "Ginny, I'm really sorry for what I did to you the other weekend. It was completely unnecessary, and I know that as your older brother I should be looking out for you, not against you. Now I feel so horribly guilty, as I should, I'm sure…is there anything I can do to make it up?" he said.

            She gave him a measuring look and then smiled evilly. "All will be forgiven if you do one simple thing."

            Ron looked at her questioningly. 

            "Are you willing to humiliate yourself in front of the entire school in order to be forgiven?" she asked.

            "If it's the only thing I can do…I don't know about you, but I like it better when we're on friendly terms," he said, preparing for the worst.

            Well, the worst was what came to him! He couldn't think of one thing he would hate to do more than this…his fate was so bad, he didn't even want to think about it.

            Ginny continued to whisper details of what he had to do, "And if it's going to happen, brother dearest, you've got to do it tomorrow night, Saturday night, at dinner in front of everyone in Hogwarts. Of course, feel free to have a peaceful dinner if you like having me as your enemy."

            "But, Ginny, how does this effect you at all? It has barely anything to do with you!" he said, trying to think of anyway to get around this punishment.

            "Dearest Ron, I came up with it, and therefore it has everything to do with me. Besides, I will so enjoy seeing you do it, if you choose to…and it really would benefit us all, not just me. Enough said! I'm off to Charms!" Ginny said, and bounced off happily. Regardless of whether or not Ron actually did what she told him to, she had already forgiven him. He had sounded genuinely sorry, but seeing his beet-red face the next night at dinner would really make her anger worthwhile.

~*~*~*~*~

            Ginny was still in a great mood when she left Charms. The class that day had been very simple, so she had zoned out as Flitwick lectured. She would have to bring a camera to dinner the next night so she could torture Ron with the moment for years to come! Well, on the other hand, if the nights' events worked in his favor, it might not turn out to be blackmail material anyway, but that was fine with her. He would certainly be embarrassed, and that was the main goal. Months from the next night, maybe even just weeks, he would probably be thanking her. She grinned. Sometimes she came up with the best ideas on the spur of the moment…

            Her wonderful mood lessened a little when she saw Pansy Parkinson and Millicent Bullstrode again, and they were standing in the way of the Transfiguration hall, and she needed to get to Transfiguration. She shrugged; there was more than one way to get there, they were just blocking the fastest route. Humming happily, she just skirted that hall and walked in the direction of a hall that was adjoining the one she needed to be in. She didn't even notice the blond haired boy who was standing in the shadows, so she was startled and dropped her books when he stepped out in front of her.

            "So glad to see me that you're dropping your books, Ginny? Why, I'm flattered," he drawled, looking amusedly at the situation.

            "What do you want, Malfoy?" she said, glaring up at him. She seemed to have totally forgotten that only a few moments ago, she'd thought nothing could ruin her blissful mood.

            "I want many things. We must learn that we cannot always have the things we wish to acquire…and when we do work for them, we must work hard, mustn't we?"

            Ginny gave him a blank look. Was he on drugs or some equally mentally destructive thing?

            "That's—that's nice, Malfoy. Now, if you don't mind, I think I'll be going to Transfiguration, okay?" Ginny said in a you-belong-in-a-mental-hospital kind of voice.

            "Don't patronize me, Ginny," he said, glaring at her.

            She started to grin, but stopped when she realized what she was doing, and to whom. "I'm sorry, but you really are scaring me right now. Why are you calling me Ginny, and not "Weasley" like you call all the rest of my family?"

            Draco was surprised that she had outright asked him; where had all the shyness he had seen before gone? "You don't seem to have a problem with it. Would you rather I call you by your last name?"

            "Actually, I'm just wondering why you're calling me by any name at all. You know, you usually don't talk to me." Her boldness was quickly receding, and she wasn't the only one to notice it.

            "I choose to talk to you because I feel like it. You could always walk away if you wanted to," he said, hoping that wouldn't make her walk away. 

            Ginny was still bent over, her books at her feet. However much she wanted to get up and leave now, she found herself rooted to the ground and couldn't explain why. "Yes, I could…" she said, but found she also couldn't speak, as his eyes were boring into hers, and she had no idea what to do. 

            He was smirking again. Ginny hated it when he smirked at her, but he didn't stop. "Time for your class, isn't it, Ginny? And I would hate to cause you to get a detention. Nice talking to you," he said, and his smirk only grew larger.

            "Yeah, Malfoy, you just do that…" she said under her breath as he sauntered off, looking as on top of the world as ever.

~*~*~*~*~

            For Ron, Saturday evening was approaching much to quickly. He had about ten minutes before dinner started and he felt more nervous than he had for the Yule Ball. If he didn't do what Ginny had told him to do, she would never forgive him, but what would happen if he actually did go through with it? Would he lose one of his best friends?

            He looked around the Common Room, and everyone he knew was already down in the Great Hall. Slowly, he got out of the comfortable armchair and swung open the portrait hole. The empty hall loomed menacingly ahead of him, and every step he took brought him ever closer to the fate that awaited him in the Great Hall if he chose to take it. Well, he didn't want to make an enemy of Ginny, so that left him with no other option but to do it. He was just glad that Hermione had forgiven him for his verbal assault on Ginny; he didn't want this to be any harder than it already was.

            Entering the Great Hall, Ron made his way over to the Gryffindor table and immediately saw a grinning Ginny beckon him to a seat directly between herself and Hermione. He had no choice but to sit.

            Harry, sitting opposite Ron, tried to start a conversation. "Beautiful day for Quidditch, isn't it, Ron?" he said, smiling pleasantly. 

            Ron was lost in his own world and only nodded absently, "Yeah…nice day…"

            "Ron, what is with you today? You've seemed totally out of it since last night. Is something wrong?" Hermione asked.

            On the other side of Ron, Ginny was doing everything she could to keep from cracking up, and even resorted to sticking her fist in her mouth.

Ron finally seemed to come out of his trance, and replied to Hermione as if he'd just come in, "Hullo Harry, Hermione, how's dinner tonight?"

Both of them gave him odd looks, but they were glad he seemed back to normal again. Harry repeated, "Nice day for Quidditch, isn't it?"

This time, Ron was a bit more enthusiastic. "Oh yeah! Not a cloud in the sky, I wish we'd had more time to practice. Just two hours doesn't seem to be enough anymore, does it? Oh, and Harry, did you hear the Divination assignment? I was too busy trying to breathe fresh air to catch it."

Harry laughed. "Yeah, we have to read the chapter on bibliomancy. It's really rather boring, all about using books to answer our questions. Then, we have to write at least seven questions down on parchment and let the Divination book answer it."

"Seems like a waste of parchment to me!" said Hermione, and Ron and Harry nodded in agreement.

Dinner continued on pleasantly, with invigorating discussions on Quidditch, Drying Draughts, and Hogwarts' least favorite teacher, Snape.

"I disagree," Neville was saying, "he's no nicer this year than he has been in the past. Well, at least he seems to hate me just as much, and I know I'm no better at Potions."

"I just think he's not being as harsh as he could be. Remember last week when you dropped that vial of newts' eye and he only gave you a detention?" said Hermione.

Neville looked around darkly. "With Snape, there is no such thing as _only_ a detention."

All the people around him laughed. That statement was too true…

Ron was again lost in his own world. Dinner would be ending soon, and he still hadn't gone through with it. _Now or never, _he thought, and turned to Hermione. "Hermione, there's something I've got to do." He said this quietly, but a few people overheard him and looked to see what would happen. Ginny was one such person, as were Toni and Harry. 

Hermione looked up at Ron questioningly. "Yes, Ron?"

"I…" he started. "Well…there's no really easy way to do this…but, here goes."

And with that, Ron Weasley kissed Hermione Granger full on the lips. (A/N: Should I end here? Nah, that's just too mean.)

By the time he pulled away, both of their faces were beet-red, just as Ginny had predicted. Someone from the Ravenclaw table let out a whoop, and everyone who had seen them was soon laughing their hardest. 

Anyone who hadn't seen was soon informed of what had just happened at the Gryffindor table, and a certain blond-haired Slytherin looked especially interested to hear the news and he gazed over to the far table. The sight he saw was not quite one he expected; Granger and Weasel were patting Ginny on the back, seemingly thanking her. Was this little embarrass-Weasel plot _her_ idea? He couldn't stand not knowing what was going on any longer and performed his sound magnification charm.

"…Yeah, Ron, I'd love to. We have a Hogsmeade weekend coming up next weekend, what perfect timing!" Hermione was saying.

"I've got a good idea!" said Ron, "why don't we make it a double date, Harry, and you can bring someone?"

Harry looked slightly happier at this; apparently, he wasn't too happy about the idea of his two best friends going out and he getting stuck at the castle. "That _is _a good idea, Ron!" he said, and scanned the room, his eyes settling on Ginny. "Come with me, Gin?"

Ginny gave him a lopsided smile and shrugged. "Sure, why not?"

"Good! Then it's settled!" said Ron and Hermione simultaneously, both grinning widely as they walked out of the Great Hall hand in hand. Harry, Ginny, Toni, and Neville soon followed.

Draco Malfoy was again one of the last people to leave, but this time he was significantly unhappier as he ended his charm than he had been the last time he had eavesdropped. It would absolutely ruin his plan if Ginny and Harry got together…he would just have to do something to stop it.

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A/N: Ok, I'm stopping here. This time I actually have a plan for the next chapter as I end this one, so it should come out MUCH faster. Anyway, in the next chapter, I'm planning on having the double date occur, and maybe some D/G or R/H action happening, depending on the REVIEWS, hint hint.

Much thanks to:

katie – I'm thinking I may be able to incorporate pink ribbons in here somewhere, lol. I'm glad you like my story!

naavi – Thanks for reviewing! I thought your stories were great too, and I found Arwen's story (Muggle Witch) through your bio and I thank you mondolly for that!

Lady of the Wolves – Geez, I've bugged like 50 people I know to review, and only you and Pam have! Well, I was feeling thankful, and dedicated this chapter to you. That's a good idea you had, dedicating chapters and stories to people…mind if I steal it? Lol, not much choice there. Thank Morgan for reviewing too, I only had to bug her a little bit too! Anyway, I should probably be doing that SS project now…illsha.


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